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At least 250 dead, 500 injured in Afghanistan earthquake: reports
- Early reports show 30 dead in single village: health ministry.
- Number of casualties and injuries is high, says ministry’s spox.
- Figures likely to rise as reports arrive from remote areas.
KABUL: Hundreds were feared dead and injured after an earthquake of magnitude-6 struck two rugged eastern provinces in Afghanistan, authorities said on Monday, as helicopters ferried the injured to safety from rubble being combed in a hunt for survivors.
Reports showed 250 dead and 500 injured, said Najibullah Hanif, the provincial information head of Kunar, adding that the tally could change.
The disaster will further stretch the resources of the South Asian nation already grappling with humanitarian crises, from a sharp drop in aid to a huge pushback of its citizens from neighbouring countries.
There was no confirmed death toll, health authorities said in Kabul, the capital, as rescuers raced to reach remote hamlets dotting an area with a long history of earthquakes and floods.
“Figures from just a few clinics show over 400 injured and dozens of fatalities,” ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman said in a statement that warned of higher casualties.
Images from Reuters Television showed helicopters ferrying out the affected, while residents helped soldiers and medics carry the wounded to ambulances.
Three villages were razed in the province of Kunar, with substantial damage in many others, the health ministry said.
Early reports showed 30 dead in a single village, with hundreds of injured taken to hospital, authorities said.
Rescuers were scrambling to find survivors in the area bordering Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, where homes of mud and stone were levelled by the midnight quake that hit at a depth of 10 kilometres (6 miles).
“So far, no foreign governments have reached out to provide support for rescue or relief work,” a foreign office spokesperson said.
Afghanistan is prone to deadly earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.
A series of earthquakes in its west killed more than 1,000 people last year, underscoring the vulnerability of one of the world’s poorest countries to natural disasters.
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The remake of Harry Potter sees the makers seeking new actors for the iconic franchise’s roles.
Except for one. According to reports, Warwick Davis, who portrayed Griphook and Professor Filius Flitwick in the movies, is returning to the reboot for the latter character.
He is perhaps the first actor from the film franchise to appear in the series, while Leigh Gill will play Griphook, a Gringotts Wizarding Bank employee, in the show.
The cast announcement, along with others, happened at the Hogwarts celebration. Elijah Oshin as Dean Thomas, Finn Stephens as Vincent Crabbe, and William Nash as Gregory Goyle.
Moreover, Sirine Saba as Professor Pomona Sprout, Richard Durden as Professor Cuthbert Binns, and Bríd Brennan as Madam Poppy Pomfrey.
As a newer cast has been announced, the series has previously shared the casting of the main characters.
John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.
Further, Bertie Carvel will play Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, and Johnny Flynn will portray Draco’s father, Lucius Malfoy.
Filming for the Harry Potter series is ongoing, with the final installment scheduled for release in 2027.
- PM calls for dialogue, respect for sovereignty at SCO summit.
- Says Pakistan has evidence of foreign involvement in terror attacks.
- Premier slams Israel’s ongoing atrocities against Palestinians.
While highlighting the menace of state-backed terrorism, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday urged respect for sovereignty, regional dialogue, and a collective approach to counterterrorism, as he addressed the 25th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in China’s Tianjin.
Terming his presence in Tianjin an honour, the premier said the city represents China’s foundational values and serves as a bridge between civilisations and cultures.
PM Shehbaz landed in Tianjin on Saturday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. During his six-day official visit, the prime minister will meet President Xi and Premier Li Qiang, according to the Foreign Office (FO).
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace and cooperation, PM Shehbaz said the SCO reflects Islamabad’s enduring resolve to strengthen regional connectivity and collaboration.
Calling for the upholding of bilateral and international agreements, PM said: “We [Pakistan] expect SCO member countries to follow all bilateral treaties. Uninterrupted access to due share of water, as per existing treaties, is essential to strengthening the objectives of the SCO.”
He further said: “Pakistan believes in multilateralism, dialogue, and diplomacy, not unilateralism or confrontation…There is nothing more sacred than sovereignty and territorial integrity for any nation.”
PM Shehbaz also called for a comprehensive dialogue to resolve longstanding issues in South Asia. “Stability in Afghanistan remains in the interest of the entire region,” the premier stated.
The prime minister also condemned terrorism in all its forms and called out state-sponsored terrorism, saying: “Those who have long used terrorism to advance political interests must know the world no longer buys this fictitious narrative”.
‘Foreign involvement in terror attacks’
The premier went on to say that Pakistan has irrefutable evidence of foreign involvement in recent terrorist attacks, including the Jaffer Express hostage incident and attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
“Those responsible for these heinous crimes and their facilitators must be held accountable,” he asserted.
Highlighting Pakistan’s fight against terrorism, he said: “We [Pakistan] have sacrificed over 90,000 lives, including children, mothers, engineers, scientists, citizens, and officers — not just for Pakistan, but for the peace and security of the entire region.”
Strongly criticising Israeli actions in Gaza, he said: “[The] ongoing atrocities and hunger in Gaza are a permanent scar on our collective conscience.” He reiterated Pakistan’s support for a two-state solution in line with UN resolutions.
The prime minister also condemned the unjustified and unacceptable aggression against Iran by Israel.
On China’s role, PM Shehbaz praised President Xi Jinping’s leadership and added: “China’s success is a reflection of his visionary and wise leadership. Its global leadership is evident not just within the SCO but across major international initiatives.”
He expressed gratitude to President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government for exceptional hospitality and excellent arrangements.
PM Shehbaz described the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a flagship project that exemplifies mutual cooperation and regional development.
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